Chapter 11 delves into a pivotal moment in the history of the Boston Global Forum (BGF): the establishment of the prestigious World Leader for Peace and Security Award in 2015. This chapter recounts the vision behind creating an award of such unique stature, its foundational goals, and how it came to honor global leaders dedicated to peace and progress, further cementing BGF’s role as a companion to the world’s most influential figures. Co-authored by Harvard Professor Thomas Patterson and Nguyen Anh Tuan, Co-Founder, Co-Chair, and CEO of BGF, with a foreword by Governor Michael Dukakis.
Chapter 11: 2015 – The World Leader for Peace and Security Award
I constantly grappled with the idea of establishing the Boston Global Forum (BGF) as an organization that gathers elite intellectuals and noble individuals. With a banner held by an upright and kind leader like Governor Michael Dukakis, who had performed wonders in the World’s Intellectual Capital, BGF would reach a high stature to evaluate and encourage leaders to do good for humanity. There was no existing award in the world specifically for leaders serving as presidents or prime ministers. BGF was in a unique position to pioneer such a prestigious award, aiming to inspire those who wield great power, command military, armed, and security systems – those with decision-making authority affecting the fate of countless people – to pursue a virtuous path. With Governor Michael Dukakis as a guiding symbol – an upright, kind, and respected leader by American and global leaders and elites, coupled with BGF’s objective of finding solutions for global peace, security, innovation, and prosperity, I tirelessly contemplated an initiative for BGF to affirm and establish its position. In early October 2015, I conceived the idea that BGF should organize the World Leader for Peace and Security Award. This award aims to honor national leaders (Presidents, Prime Ministers, Speakers of Parliament), spiritual leaders, and leaders of influential international organizations. Through this award, we define BGF’s role not merely as an award-giving body, as some foundations or organizations already exist, but as an organization that walks alongside world leaders, helping them lead better by contributing wisdom from a community of thinkers – elite intellectuals with noble characters and immense love for humanity. From the very beginning of BGF’s establishment, I clearly defined the goal of building a treasure trove of wisdom, which is BGF’s greatest asset. In the new era, intellect is a grand asset; if amassed, this vast pool of wisdom can be “crafted” and innovated into beautiful, noble, and essential values for humanity. This is the intellectual stature BGF has established, from which it builds its stance, position, and mindset to contribute to the world through the highest-level leaders and governments, thereby continuously gathering and expanding this vast intellectual repository, enriching it further to make meaningful and profound contributions. I met Governor Michael Dukakis in early October 2015 to seek his opinion, and he immediately supported the idea. The BGF Board unanimously agreed to launch the Award and present it for the first time at the BGF Conference on Cybersecurity Peace Day, December 12, 2015, at the Harvard Faculty Club.
Please see the full Chapter 11 and the complete book in early September 2025 on the BGF website.
